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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

Would you consider driving yourself in early labour?

63 replies

Echomama · 09/10/2024 05:30

So we have always lived an hour away from any hospital. This time is no different. Except now we have two more kids.
With baby 2 we just bought dc1 with us but I don't think it's feasible this time around.
I know the drill on how I labour, and early labour ive normally got a couple of hours in me before I need to start worrying about pushing (then it goes pretty damn fast)

My question is, how have parents who have given birth alone, travelled to the hospital? Would you ever consider driving yourself in early labour? (If you know you physically could)

OP posts:
MoveToParis · 09/10/2024 05:32

Not a chance

Mumdiva99 · 09/10/2024 05:34

Nope.
My labour's got quicker and quicker.
Taxi if you are going alone.

notatinydancer · 09/10/2024 05:35

Absolutely not.
You know show you've laboured before, that's not necessarily how it will be this time.

PolaroidPrincess · 09/10/2024 12:11

I couldn't have done it. Can a friend take you? Is a Home Birth out of the question?

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 09/10/2024 12:14

What happens if you have a severe contraction whilst you are driving, @Echomama? It is many, many years since I gave birth, but I know I could not have concentrated on something like driving whilst having contractions.

If you have an accident, you and your baby could be injured, as could other road users.

sunflowersngunpowdr · 09/10/2024 14:25

No way. Take a cab. Call an ambulance if you must but don't drive.

JLT24 · 09/10/2024 14:27

You don’t know how you will labour so you absolutely would need a backup plan in place

TakeMe2Insanity · 09/10/2024 14:27

It was bad enough being driven!

user2848502016 · 09/10/2024 14:28

It's really unsafe.
Taxi if you can't find someone to take you or stay with the DC

Katiesaidthat · 09/10/2024 14:30

No way. My labour progressed uber fast, my husband drove and in the middle of the contractions I had to really concentrate, I would have accidentally hit the brake pedal or the accelerator. By the time I got to hospital I was having them every five minutes. No way could I have driven. I know someone who did. The thing is you dont know what it´ll be like until you are in the middle of them.

SurpriseTwinPregnancy · 09/10/2024 14:30

No, don’t do this. You might have given birth before and think you know how it’s going to go, but every labour is a completely unpredictable event.

You, DH and the kids all go in the car and he drops you off and heads back home with the kids. I imagine taxi won’t be possible as it sounds like you’re rural.

Out of curiosity, how did you take DC1 with you last time? Where were they while you gave birth?

muddlingthrou · 09/10/2024 14:33

Posting as I was wondering the same thing... seems the consensus is an absolute no. I'm also curious about what you did with DC1 while you were in labour with DC2?

Justploddingonandon · 09/10/2024 14:35

I did this by accident as my early contractions didn't feel any different to the braxton hicks I'd been having for a few days, and I was actually going in due to bleeding so didn't realise I was in labour. I only live 10 minutes from the hospital and was already pulling into the car park when the penny dropped as the contractions got stronger. Would not recommend.

fruitofthenight · 09/10/2024 14:44

I wouldn't do it. It's too risky, and each labour is different. You don't know whether you'll have the same with the third. My second DC was a very quick labour, 45 minutes from contraction to birth, so if I was in your shoes, I wouldn't have even made it to the hospital.
It sounds like a pain asking your DH to take you with two kids in tow, but it will be the safest. Or a taxi is another option, but probably ££ for the distance.

Greybeardy · 09/10/2024 15:14

Would your insurance company still cover you driving whilst in labour?

Original poster
Echomama · 09/10/2024 20:52

SurpriseTwinPregnancy · 09/10/2024 14:30

No, don’t do this. You might have given birth before and think you know how it’s going to go, but every labour is a completely unpredictable event.

You, DH and the kids all go in the car and he drops you off and heads back home with the kids. I imagine taxi won’t be possible as it sounds like you’re rural.

Out of curiosity, how did you take DC1 with you last time? Where were they while you gave birth?

With dc1 we waited until we had " text book" contraction, which never actually happened as I'm not text book and they only reason they let me in to the delivery ward was because my waters broke and I needed to have antibiotics for 4 hours before birthing. Which also didn't happen. We had no child care for dc1 so just bought her with us without telling them. Nobody said a thing at the time or afterwards. But dh did have to take her out of the room just before I birthed as she was getting a bit bored and fidgety.

OP posts:
Original poster
Echomama · 09/10/2024 20:58

So I could have easily driven with dc2 from 1st signs of labour. Actually told my hubby we had no need to rush and we watched a 3 hour film, had dinner and a shower, then finally woke dc1 up and got her in the car, was on the phone telling them I had to be there early for antibiotics and that although my contractions never get to the "ideal time apart" once I get to 4cm I basically go straight to 10. I just know I had time before I got to the 4.
Very aware that each birthing experience is different.
But no. Home birth is extremely discouraged here, insurance wise id be covered for the car. If I absolutely insisted on a homebirth it wouldn't be covered on health insurance.
Taxi is also out of the question and ambulance would be just as long as the taxi....
Sooooo shit out of luck on choices really 😆

OP posts:
TrojanWhore · 09/10/2024 21:03

Not a fucking chance in hell.

Once you've realised you're inn labour there are two huge hazards

  • stronger contraction, leading to loss of control of the vehicle
  • slow, creeping change of consciousness (which you may not even realise is happening) but which impairs your reactions and hazard perception as much as alcohol or severe tiredness does.

Few things ruin your birth experience more than a prang on the way to hospital. Even if you are unhurt, and you have not injured anyone else, it's still a significant delay.

WonderingWanda · 09/10/2024 21:03

I don't understand why your dh can't drive you to the hospital? What would be your plan if a tyre burst? You had a crash? There was a traffic jam? You broke down? How would you cope alone on the side of the road in labour? What if you take the only car, get stranded, have to wait for an ambulance etc etc. Don't assume that because previous labour's have gone smoothly that everything will be OK this time around.

Applesandpears23 · 09/10/2024 21:04

My third labour was completely unlike the other two. I asked my partner to put on some pasta for tea and before it had finished cooking I had to ask him to stop and call the midwife. It was so sudden an escalation from nothing to needing my full attention. First two labours were long and started calmly as you describe.

MorningSunDew76 · 09/10/2024 21:06

It isn't just about you. It's about your baby, their safety and the road users.. you could have a severe contraction, lose control of your car, crash into an elderly driver, kill them maybe and harm your baby..

Is it worth it?

No, it's irresponsible.

WonderingWanda · 09/10/2024 21:08

Also, you say you could have easily driven in your second labour....how do you know? On my second labour I was convinced I didn't need to to hospital yet and was trying to do the washing up. Dh and dm manhandled me into the car and I reluctantly went...almost gave birth in the car park. My point is labouring women don't always behave in the most rational way.

Is your dh seriously happy with the idea of just sending you off in the car in labour?

I'm just adding a few more what ifs. What if your waters break enroute and labour suddenly intensifies. What if you have a bleed. What if you get light headed and pass out.

VWAirbag · 09/10/2024 21:08

I did without realising- got to 6cm with no pain, just slight tightening, and drove to the supermarket and did a shop 😁 ( I had no idea labour could be like that as my first was completely different).

But that’s the thing- all labours can be different. You need a plan B.

WonderingWanda · 09/10/2024 21:10

What if you get the hospital and they are closed due to a critical incident and you have to drive further.

What if you become nauseous and need to vomit.

What if you have pre- eclampsia and your vision goes blurry.

PolaroidPrincess · 09/10/2024 21:35

But that’s the thing- all labours can be different. You need a plan B

That's so true. My first started with me just needing to wee a lot. The second. OMG the second. I went to to loo, had a contraction that was so strong, quickly followed by another that were so strong I thought I wax having the baby there and then. Luckily DH managed to get me to the Hospital and DC2 arrived not much later. I had no warning and only made it to the car with help, there would have been no driving.

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